Hey friends -
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (Happy Turkey Day! 🦃) Which means you’re about to spend an extended time with family. Which means (let’s be honest) things might get either weird, stressful, awkward or all of the above. And you’re going to need some emotional survival tools.
Well, you’re in luck! The timing couldn’t be better for this week’s episode.
I sat down with my friend Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella who turned her research into an AI-powered emotional awareness tool called S.A.F.E. (Set intentions, Acknowledge facts vs emotions, Frame/reframe, Execute). It helps you pause (and rethink) when you’re about to lose your shit – whether that’s at work, with family, or in any high-emotion moment.
We tested it on two real workplace scenarios that listeners sent in:
Someone dealing with a company reorg, anxious about job security
Someone navigating a new manager approaching the team in an unexpected way
This is the first time I’ve done listener calls on the podcast (gasp!), which was both terrifying and fun. Jaque and I walk through each situation separating facts from feelings, finding hope and agency where it wasn’t obvious, figuring out actual next steps. It’s messy and real and kind of fascinating to watch unfold.
Next week, Part 2, will be a little more personal. We recorded this episode in October right before I ran the Chicago marathon and I used S.A.F.E. on myself to navigate that anxiety. I told Jaque all about it during the recording, but I’m saving it for next week because it was too long a conversation to share in one go. Spoiler: I cry. It helped. I’ll share that and tell you how the race went.
But today, the day before Thanksgiving? Maybe you need this.
Because whether it’s your aunt asking why you’re still single, your dad starting that story again, or you needing five minutes in the bathroom to not scream – you can try S.A.F.E. for yourself here.
Look, I’m not saying this will fix Thanksgiving. But it might give you five minutes of “oh, this is what I’m actually feeling” clarity. And sometimes that’s enough.
And if it’s not enough and all you want to do is rant and vent? You can leave me a voice note at (646) 902-1426, I promise not to air it… unless you say it’s ok and then I definitely will because wouldn’t it be great to hear how it went for everyone?
If you survive the holiday, tell me about it. If you don’t, also tell me about it.
Either way, you’re not alone.
I’m so grateful for you, thank you for all your support and for letting me be part of your week. 💗
M
P.S. - This isn’t the first time I sit down with Jaque to have a one-on-one. Check out our past episode Sh*t I Had A Midlife Awakening where Jaque shares her journey from a high-powered career in global health and insurance to embracing new passions and redefining her purpose.
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✨ About Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella:
Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella is a Brazilian pension actuary with a dual MBA who wandered into the world of human behavior — and stayed because she fell in love with what truly drives people.
While leading global health, retirement, insurance, and employee benefits strategy for Fortune 100 companies, she kept noticing the same pattern: people rarely struggle because they lack intelligence… they struggle because they lack pause.
During her Harvard Medical School program, that insight became S-A-F-E™ — a simple, clear method to help people slow down, separate facts from emotion, and make decisions with clarity.
What started as a personal tool has now evolved into a private, structured space for reflection empowered by AI, with more than 300 real conversations from industry thought leaders and caregivers using it to think with more clarity.
Her work sits at the crossroads of data, design, and humanity — helping people navigate tough moments with steadiness, intention, and a bit more courage.
